Ball compressor



June 5; 1923.

P. H. WILLIAMS BALL COMPRESSOR Filed Feb. 18, 1922 INVENTOR PE /Zip 5 7Zz'am:

ATTORNEY Patented cluare 5, 1923.

PHILLIP H. WILLIAMS, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

BALL COMPRESSOR.

Application filed February 18, 1922. Serial No. 537,617.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILLIP H. TVILLIAMs, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Fresno, in the county of Fresno and the State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ball Compressors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a ball compressor and more specifically" to a device for compressing the casing of a ball having an inflated bladder therein, for the purpose of lacing the opening through which the bladder was inserted. It is well known to those familiar with the use of foot balls, basket balls and similar balls which have as a part thereof an inflated bladder, that in lacing the opening in the ball the usual method is to run the lacing cord through the holes on alternate sides of the opening and to draw the sides of the openings together, against the pressure of the air in the bladder. By this method the lacing is difficult to perform, the tension of the lacing is not true, and the eyelets through which the lacing cord passes frequently pull out and the holes are enlarged, or torn out. The object of my invention is to hold a ball of the character described unde compression so that no un- -due strain is on the fabric or leather surrounding the holes by drawing the sides of the opening together, and the lacing is accomplished with ease.

This object is accomplished by means of the device hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a top view of the device having a foot ball adjusted therein. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the device without a ball therein. Figure 8 is a side view of a fractional part of thedevice showing the ball holder and ball. Figures 41 and 5 are adjustable spiders.

In said drawing T represents the table on which the device is clamped by means of clamps C and C The clamps C and C have extensions brackets D and D thereon consisting of depending arms 2 and 2 and horizontal arms 3 and 3 The brackets D and D are attached together by means of a tie 4:. At the approximate center of tie 1 is a spider, or ball support E which consists of four arms 5, 5 5 and 5, each of which terminates with a face 6, 6 6" and 6. These faces are spaced apart and tilted at an angle so that when a ball is lying thereon it will touch all of said faces. The horizontal arms 8 and 3 terminate in slideways 8 and 8.

9 and 9 are uprights posts slidingly fitted in slideways 8 and 8. 10 is a shaft pivoted at each end into depending arms 2 and 2?,

noted that by the movement of the handle 12 the rods 9 and 9 can be slid up and down. The cross arms 14 and 14: are attached to the top of posts 9 and 9 and have straps 15 and 16, and 15 and 16 pivoted thereto. The leversl? and 18 are pivoted together at the center, the ends being pivoted to straps 15 and 16 and the levers 17 and 18 are likewise pivoted in the center, the ends being pivoted to straps 15 and 16 as shown in the drawing. The outside ends of levers 17 and 17 are connected with a jaw 19, and the levers 18 and 18 are connected with a jaw 20. The jaws 19 and 20 are curved to approximately the. same curvature as the ball to be compressed. The jaws 19 and 20 have faced extensions 19 and 20 thereon.

It will be noted by Figures 4 and 5 that the spider E can be formed adjustable as to height by having a vertical hole through the tie 4 and providing the spider E with a vertical post 55, which is adapted to slide in said hole, and having means 56 for clamping the post 55 within said hole at the height desired as shown in Figure 4, or having the hole and post threaded as shown in Figure 5.

It will be noted that when a ball with an inflated bladder therein is placed on the spider with the opening in the ball between the jaws, by moving lever 12 downward the jaws 19 and 20 compress the ball so that the edges of the opening come together, the combination of levers 15, 16, 17 and 18 and 15, 16 17 and 18 acting as a toggle where by the pressure on the ball is to compress it around the circumference at right angles with the opening B The ratchet 13 holds the levers and the ball in such compressed position until released. When the ball is thus compressed it is noted that the edges of the opening can readily be drawn together, laced and fastened. The faced extensions 19 and 20 grasp the ball immediately he hind the binding or auxiliary support B surrounding the opening B I claim as new and ask for LettersPatent:

1. In a device for compressing balls of the character described, the combination of a base adapted to hold the ball in a fixed position, compression jaws curved to'conform approximately to the curvature of the ball along the line of the opening in said ball, and means for moving said jaws toward each other and ressing said jaws downward simultaneous y, substantially, as described. 7 i

2. In a device for compressing ballsoi:

15 the character described, the combination of in a fixed position, a 'pair of compression jaws shaped to conform approximately to the contour of the ball, said jaws being attached to the levers of lazy tongs adapted to draw the jaws together and toward said base substantially as described. 1 v

3. In a device forcompressing balls of the character described, the combination of a fixed base for supporting an inflated ball, and compression jaws adapted to cooperate with the fixedfbase to press opposite sides of the opening in said ball together, substantially as described.

PHILLIP H. WIL AMS; 

